Parolin and the Academy Trophy: Strong Growth Potential

Thanks to the Parolin’s quality of performance, it is not possible to win the Academy Trophy by chance. The 2013 edition of this discoverer of talents was conquered by the Belgian driver Maxime Potty, at the end of a tough but balanced competition. After what can be called a “year of transition”, Parolin is getting ready to respond to the many requests received, in order to achieve again the level of attendance of previous editions.

After CIK-FIA restructuring, the 2013 season experienced a few difficulties at its beginning with the cancellation of the U18 World Championship. Parolin responded to this situation with his usual professionalism by supplying the 31 Academy drivers its Parolin/FIM chassis/engines, all prepared flawlessly and all very similar in terms of performance, for the three calendar meetings.

Three drivers were the protagonists of the race for the 2013 title during the last meeting, held at Varennes (France). Once again, there were very narrow time gaps among the protagonists at the end of races, each time with different leaders and countless passes. Maxime Potty, who conquered the first meeting in Belgium and was regularly in the lead pack in each round, won with a clear lead the 2013 CIK-FIA Academy Trophy ahead of the Spaniard Arturo Melgar and of the Turk Berkay Besler.

In the meanwhile, the Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc became vice KZ world champion at Varennes, only two years after emerging at the Academy Trophy, thereby providing yet another piece of evidence of the effectiveness of Parolin’s concept. Anthoine Hubert, who was also at Varennes and took second place at the 2010 Trophy, is current leader and the main favourite for the French F4 Championship, the first stage for a future single-seater career.

The concept of a “turnkey competition”, on a single type of kart, proposed by Parolin has convinced all the participants and observers, as well as the CIK-FIA top management, for the 4th season in a row. There are already many requests for 2014, and the goal of comfortably reaching the maximum number of participants allowed by regulations, i.e. 51, seems close at hand. There is even a risk that the number of places will not be sufficient to meet the demand of interested drivers.

In the current economic situation, Parolin has been capable of developing this excellent way to access top level competitions at a very reasonable cost, to the greater advantage of karting. «When costs increase it becomes tougher, for everybody» explained Marco Parolin passionately. «Thanks to the CIK-FIA and to our 4-season experience, we are countering the decrease in participation in international races. We have the potential of attracting and training a wide number of young people, who could then continue their careers with a solid background. Now, karting needs a pool of talents to feed top level competition. The formula is there, we just need to let it grow».

It is true that Parolin’s team knows its business perfectly. Management of FIM engines has been flawless both in terms of reliability (no breakage during the whole season) and of balance, as demonstrated by a careful analysis of results. As for Parolin chassis, all drivers agree on their excellent qualities. All the elements are there for a significant growth of this formula in 2014.